February 8 – Day 39

CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE AND TO SUBMIT MILES

REPORT FROM THE WALK:

SWAMI WALKALOTTA RETURNS!

A couple days ago we were walking along this overgrown path through the endless Amazon rainforest. Suddenly, there, sitting half naked in the path – you won’t believe this – is Swami Walkalotta and some other guy. None of us thought we’d ever see the old Swami again after he sort of dematerialized on top of the Pyramid of the Sun weeks ago back in Mexico.

He had quite a story to tell and he really did seem to be a very changed person.

We asked him if he had been abducted by a UFO or something. He said he didn’t remember anything like that, but he’s never had such strange dreams as what he’s had since leaving us.

He said he woke up a couple days ago, surrounded by lush vegetation and no idea of where he was, how he got there, what day it was or anything. He assumed he was all alone but this guy – the guy he was with – stepped out from behind a nearby tree and introduced himself as Jeremy Narby. Jeremy said he was an anthropologist and told Swami he was in the middle of Brazil. Then it gets a bit strange. Seems Jeremy has been doing research on medicines of the rainforest and has been particularly fascinated by some tribes that have developed hundreds of plant and animal based concoctions that actually heal dozens of ailments. The big question for Jeremy was – How did they learn all these remedies? The explanation given to him by the tribal people was that when they consume certain plants, the plants tell them how to make medicines. Well, Jeremy has been ‘consuming these certain plants’ and says he now believes them. He’s even published a book about it. He believes the DNA of plants contain much more intelligence than we could possibly imagine. Jeremy said it was the plants that told him to wait at that spot in the jungle where Swami appeared. And after consuming some of these plants with Jeremy, Swami said the plants guided them to walk for two days and sit down right where we found them.

Who knows. We’re about to reach the ocean. I can smell it and I think I can even hear it. Swami does seem to not be quite the wisecracker he use to be. Seems kinder and gentler. We’ll see.

FROM EARTHWALK COSMIC HEADQUARTERS IN OMAHAHA

More bad news about data I’m afraid. Saturday night between 6:17pm and 9:39pm, all the data submitted at that time was eaten by Norman, our data courier turtle.

You see, we were all distracted by Jennie who does great data entry, but she is one of those Buddhist cats that won’t harm any living thing. Well, a bee landed on her nose about a quarter after six Saturday night and everyone watched her to see how she would handle it and we were mesmerized for three hours (everyone except Norman that is). I think this has happened before. But anyway, the bee finally flew off and Jennie is ok.

We are accumulating some big miles without names attached to them. Yesterday we got 83 bike miles turned in, but no name. If it was your miles, just send an email and let us know.

We’re closing in on 10,000 miles. Let’s see 10,000 miles in 40 days. Do you think we can get the next 10,000 in less than 40 days. Recruit! The more the merrier.

Tomorrow when we shove off across the Atlantic, there will be free lunch points awarded to nearly everyone for recruiting new EarthWalkers while in South America. The Orangutan twins say they will announce a new contest for awarding points at that time.

Remember to check out the stats page. (You can get to it by clicking on the EarthWalk globe at the top and follow the links. See if you can move up on some list. Motivation. Friendly Competition. It’s all good.

Submit Miles Here Too